Utility apron handbag



April 5, 1949.

E. B. CHANSLOR EI'AL UTILITY APRON HANDBAG Filed Feb. 24, 1947 4 m ,m 0mm: 5

Patented Apr. 5, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UTILITY APRON HANDBAG Eileen B. Chanslor and Hal Chanslor,

' Los Angeles, Calif.

Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 730,254

'7 Claims. (Cl. 2-48) of quite a number of articles such as wash cloths,

When away from home, these problems are multiplied many fold.

The present invention meets these problems by the provision of a unitary article which, either for use at or away from home, serves in one position or condition as an apron having a waterproof facing on the outside surface thereof, and a plurality of pockets arranged to hold all of the' needed articles in a convenient disposition. This apron is made to be quickly convertible into a sizeable moistureproof handbag for carrying articles necessary in the care of the infant while away from home. To this end, the apron is provided along its side and bottom edgeswith slide fasteners of the type known as zippers, so that by folding the apron with the waterproof facing on the inside and then closing the zipper, there is obtained an open top bag capable of holding a considerable quantity of material, with ample moistureproof pockets for segregating damp articles from the dry, and other pockets for containing bottles, talcum cans, and the like.

In this connection, one of the novel features of the invention is the provision of a curved, spring steel strap which is disposed within a hem along the top edge of the fabric panel forming the body of the apron or bag, and which can be turned in said hem to face in one direction so as to serve as a spring clasp for supporting the apron about the waist of the wearer, or in the other direction to form a substantially circular panel except along themargins thereof.

b 2 rib defining and shaping the top openingiof the bag.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following. detailed description .of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to ,the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing vention as used for a handbag;

Figure 2 is another view of the same, showing the sides of the bag laid back flat after the slide fastener has been opened; t Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the in vention' as used for a. utility apron, with the spring clasp turned over in its tubular pocket so as to be in a position adapted to engage the waist of the wearer;

the in- Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of-a detail, showing a portion of the left-hand hem and attached slide fastener element; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 4. V

In the drawings, the utility apron handbag of the invention, designated in its entirety by reference numeral l0, comprises a generally rectangular panel Ii, preferably of some sturdy fabric such as twill or the like, which forms the body of the article. On one side of the panel Ii is a waterproof facing which might be in the form of a coating of synthetic resinous material applied directly to the surface of the fabric or, as in the preferred embodiment illustrated, comprise a thin sheet I! of rubber-like material'such as Koroseal which covers the entire side of the The side and bottom edges of the fabric panel ii are folded inwardly to overlie the edges of the waterproof sheet i2, and are sewed at iii to form hems l4 and I5. Disposed beneath the flaps of the hems l4, l5 and secured by the seam l3 are tapes I6 carrying the companionate elements 20 and ii of a zipper slide fastener 22. The zipper elements 20, 2| are adapted to be interlocked by means of a slide 23, in the usual manner, to

provide a quickly operated, continuous closure whereby the device may be opened out flat, as shown in Figure 3, to form an apron, or closed up, as in Figure 1, to form a handbag.

The two opposed hems ll, l5 meet at the midpoint of the panel ll along the bottom edge thereof, and the edges of the hem flaps are cut back' toward the fold line to form a shallow V-shaped junction at 24, the purpose of which is to bring the ends of the zipper elements togather at an angle approximating the angleat which they enter the slide 23. This arrangement eliminates binding of the zipper elements in the slide 23 and has the eflect of bringing the two sides of the panel together in a gradual manner, making it considerably easier to start the slide when closing the zipper than would be the case ifthe elements came together in a straight line.

The side of the fabric panel II having the waterproof sheet l2 attached thereto is provided with two relatively large pockets 25 and 26 arranged side by side on the lower portion of the apron, and several smaller pockets 36, 3|, 32, and 33 arranged in a row along the upper portion thereof. The pockets 25, 26 are formed of sheets 33 and 35 of Koroseal or like material, the outside and bottom edges of which extend under the flaps of the hems it, i 5, respectively, between the zipper tape l6 and the sheet l2, and are secured by the seam l3. The inside edges of the sheets 34, 35 are folded under and sewed to the sheet l2. A binding tape 36 is folded over and sewed to the top edge of each of the pocket sheets 34. 35 to reinforce the same against tearing, and the inner end portion of the tape where the sheet is folded back under itself is sewed to the sheet H.

Thetop row of pockets 3ll 3| 32, and 33 may conveniently be formed by using one long strip 46 of Koroseal sheeting, the ends of which extend under the flaps of the hems l4, l between the zipper tapes and the sheet I! and are secured by the seams i3. The strip 40 is folded onto laterally spaced, parallel pleats ll, 42, and 43 which define the sides of the several pockets, and is sewed along its bottom edge and at the bottoms of the pleats to the sheet 12 using reinforcing tape on the outside of the sheet alon each of the seams to prevent the thread from cutting through the Koroseal when the latter is stressed.

By way of 'ornamentation, one of the pockets (3| for example) may be provided on its outer surface with a small supplemental pocket 46 which is adapted to receive a photograph of the child, said pocket having an opening 50 through which the photograph may be seen. An attractive frame for the picture may be had by sewing a strip of shirred or pleated material 5| around the margin of the opening 56.

The top marginal portion of the fabric panel ii is folded down over the sheet [2 and stitched to form a wide hem 52 to form a tube which is open at {its ends. In the present instance the hem is formed by two vertically spaced. parallel seams 53 and 54 to form a somewhat narrower open ended tube 55, and within this tube 55 is disposed a cylindrically curved strap 56 of spring steel, the end portions of which project from opposite ends of the tube or hem. as shown. The ends of the strap are preferably rolled at 60 to prevent them from catching on the garments of the wearer.

A pair of looped straps 6i and 62 are sewed to the top hem 52 of the body panel i I to provide a carrying handle for the device when closed up to serve as a bag. One of the straps is secured to the hem 52 adjacent one end thereof, while the other is attached at the midpoint thereof, so that the two straps lie substantially diametrically across from one another at the circular opening of the handbag.

When the device is to be used as an apron, the zipper 22 is opened fully and the body panel is spread out flat. The circular strap 56 is then turned in the hem to face in the direction shown 4 in Figure 3, in which position it is adapted to encircle and clasp the waist of the wearer. The carrying straps 6|, 62 may be folded down out of the way behind the fabric panel H. The waterproof sheet H on the outside surface of the apron protects the wearer against splashed water, and the pockets provide ample storage space for all of the requisites for bathing or otherwise caring for the child.

To use the device as a handbag, the strap 56 is turned over in the hem to face in the direction shown in Figure 2, and the zipper is then closed by the slide, as in Figure l, bringing the top edges together to form an opening 65, with one arm of the strap 56 on the inside of the bag and the other arm on the outside. The strap 56 now serves as a circular rib, shaping the opening 65 and holding the bag in shape. The waterproof sheet l2, being on the inside of the bag, permits the carrying of damp articles such as diapers, towels, wash cloths, and the like, without wetting through the bag. Drydiapers and clothing may be segregated from damp articles by placing them in the moistureproof pockets 25, 26, while bottles and other articles which may be needed en route may be carried in the top pockets 36, 3|, 32, and 33 where they are quickly accessible without opening the bag.

While we have shown and described in considerable detail what we believeto be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A combination apron and handbag comprisa said spring member being adapted to clasp the waist of the wearer when said panel is opened out flat to form a protective apron, and to form a substantially circular rib defining the top opening of the bag when said panel has been folded and joined along its edges, and supporting means whereby said bag may be carried.

2. A combination apron and handbag comprising a generally rectangular panel of fabric having a waterproof facing on one side thereof, a'pair of cooperating slide fastener elements secured to the side and bottom edges of said panel, slide means operative to interlock said elements when said panel has been folded to form an open top bag with said waterproof facing on the inside, a curved spring member secured to said panel along the top edge thereof, said spring member being shiftable from a first position wherein it is adapted to clasp the waist of the wearer when said panel is opened out flat to form a protective apron with said waterproof facinghas been folded to form an open top bag with said pockets .on the inside, a curved spring member I secured to said panel along the top edge thereof,

said spring member being shiftable from a first position wherein it is adapted to clasp the waist of the wearer when said panel is opened out flat to form a protective apron with said pockets on the outside, and a second position wherein it forms a substantially circular rib defining the top opening of the bag when said panel has been folded and joined along its edges, and means forming a handle for carrying said bag.

4. A combination utility apron and handbag comprising a generally rectangular panel offabric or the like having a plurality of pockets provided on one surface thereof, a pair of cooperating slide fastener elements secured to the side and bottom edges of said panel, slide means operative to interlock said elements when said panel has been folded to form an open top bag with said pockets on the inside, a hem formed along the top edge of said panel, a curved spring member disposed within said hem and projecting from the opposite ends thereof, said spring member being adapted to be turned within said hem from a first position wherein it is adapted to clasp the waist of the wearer when said panel is opened out fiat to form a protective apron with said pockets on the outside, and a, second position wherein it forms a substantially circular rib defining the top opening of the bag when said panel has been foldedand joined along its edges, and means forming a handle for carrying said bag.

5. A combination utility apron and handbag I comprising a generally rectangular panel of fabric having a sheet of waterproof material on one side thereof, a plurality of pockets formed on the outside "surface of said sheet of waterproof material, a pair of cooperating slide fastener elements secured to said fabric panel on said one side adjacent the side and bottom edges thereof,

slide means operative to interlock said elements when said panel has been folded to form an open top bag with said waterproof sheet and said 7 pockets on the inside, a, hem formed along the top sheet and said pockets on the outside, and a secand position wherein it forms a substantially cir- 'cular rib defining the top opening of the bag when said panel has been folded and joined along its edges, and a pair of strap loops securedto the top edge of said panel at points spaced apart to lie substantially diametrically across from one another when said spring member is in said second position, to form a carrying handle forthe handbag.

6. A combination utility apron and handbag comprising a generally rectangular panel of fabric or the like, means fastening the'two halves of the bottom edge of said apron together when doubled over one another and for fastening the side edges of the apron together, a hem formed along the top edge of said panel, and a substantially cylindrically curved spring member disposed within said hem and projecting from opposite ends thereof, said spring member being adapted to be turned within said hem from a first position wherein it is adapted to clasp the waist of a wearer when said panel is opened out fiat with a *given surface of said apron away from the wearer, anda second position wherein it forms a substantially circular rib defining the top opening of the bag when said panel has been folded and joined along its edges with said given surface on the inside of the bag.

'7. A combination apron and handbag comprising a panel of fabric or the like having a. plurality of pockets on one side thereof, said panel being adapted to be folded so that one side edge and one half of the bottom edge overlie the other sideedge and the other half of the bottom edge, respectively, means forjoining the contiguous' side and bottom edges together to form an open top bag, a curved spring-steel member secured to said panel along the top edge thereof, said member being adapted to encircle and clasp the waist of the wearer when said panel is opened out fiat to provide a protective apron, and to form a substantially circular rib defining the top opening of the bag when said panel has been folded and joined along its edges, and supporting means whereby said bag may be carried.

EILEEN BJCHANSLOR. HAL CHANSLOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references-are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 147,479 Chipley- Feb. 17, 1874 1,135,833 Morse Apr. 13, 1915 2,344,010 Walsh Mar. 14, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 234,949 Great Britain June 11, 1925 

